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Belgium Student Loans?

Hey Folks

I know this might not be the right place to even post this, but I hope you guys can advise me on this issue.

How does student finance work in Belgium? If you are familiar with the UK system of a student loan to cover the tuition fee's then further living costs loans etc and
grants available. Is there anything to this degree available for students in Belgium?

Or is studying entirely self funded? (or indeed anything like the Dutch system)

I appreciate any advice you can give me at all,

With regards
«1

Comments

  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,611 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Have you googled for an answer ?
  • DCFC79 wrote: »
    Have you googled for an answer ?

    Yes hence why I came here...
  • I can say only this that if u want to study abroad u should have your money, becouse it might me self funded.... but... only self.
  • tejsmith
    tejsmith Posts: 123 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    Will you be joining higher education as a Belgian student, an EU student or an overseas student?
  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,611 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    edited 1 August 2012 at 6:30PM
    Yes hence why I came here...

    Chill, it wasn't clear if you had.

    I take it you found this link then, this one too and this 1
  • sock86
    sock86 Posts: 12 Forumite
    edited 1 August 2012 at 6:25PM
    If you can read French or Dutch, go to belgium.be and search for 'Prêts d'etudes' or 'Coût des etudes'. Sorry, I can't post links.

    It seems it's dependent on which part of Belgium you're studying in and also your personal situation.
  • DanielMartin
    DanielMartin Posts: 7 Forumite
    edited 1 August 2012 at 7:15PM
    tejsmith wrote: »
    Will you be joining higher education as a Belgian student, an EU student or an overseas student?

    an EU student, or EEA ... either way I'm not classed as an international student. Leuven university, states I'm exempt from paying social security and taxes.

    What is confusing is - There seems to be no direct national body that gives you a loan or grants for living costs etc. like the student loans company in the UK.

    Indeed the idea to study abroad seems very ambitious haha
  • sock86
    sock86 Posts: 12 Forumite
    edited 1 August 2012 at 7:26PM
    an EU student, or EEA ... either way I'm not classed as an international student. Leuven university, states I'm exempt from paying social security and taxes.

    In that case, as Leuven is in Flanders, the following website may be useful:
    http://www.studyinflanders.be/en/funding-opportunities

    It seems that unless you've been living in Belgium for 2 years, you're probably not eligible for the scholarship/grant system (at least in Flanders). There may be private funding organisations, although many only help students from developing countries.
    What is confusing is - There seems to be no direct national body that gives you a loan or grants for living costs etc. like the student loans company in the UK.

    Belgium is a bit confusing like that. There are three 'communities' (French speaking, Dutch speaking and German speaking), and they all have different policies and funding options.

    If you're looking at Bachelor's degrees, you might want to consider doing an Erasmus exchange for a semester or a year, instead of doing the whole degree abroad.
  • DanielMartin
    DanielMartin Posts: 7 Forumite
    edited 1 August 2012 at 7:29PM
    sock86 wrote: »
    In that case, as Leuven is in Flanders, the following website may be useful:

    It seems that unless you've been living in Belgium for 2 years, you're probably not eligible for the scholarship/grant system (at least in Flanders). There may be private funding organisations, although many only help students from developing countries.

    Yeah that's pretty much what I've been finding. Either you're from ... a "developing country" i.e. middle eastern and poor - rags to riches scenario or you have residence in the country prior to studying.

    I want to go abroad somewhere to study, but since 99% of the places in the netherlands don't offer the course in philosophy... it makes finding a place that teaches it in english.. very difficult. Any suggestions for a different place would be greatly received. (Desired course: philosophy, ba in english 3 years )

    I should point out, I've emailed the university... and several other student loans advisor's asking for information but I doubt they'll be much help.
  • sock86
    sock86 Posts: 12 Forumite
    Yeah that's pretty much what I've been finding. Either you're from ... a "developing country" i.e. middle eastern and poor - rags to riches scenario or you have residence in the country prior to studying.

    I want to go abroad somewhere to study, but since 99% of the places in the netherlands don't offer the course in philosophy... it makes finding a place that teaches it in english.. very difficult. Any suggestions for a different place would be greatly received. (Desired course: philosophy, ba in english 3 years )

    I should point out, I've emailed the university... and several other student loans advisor's asking for information but I doubt they'll be much help.

    I'm afraid it's probably going to be same wherever you go in Europe, governments aren't going to want to lend money to non-residents, because the chances are that you'll go back home after the course.

    For English courses, the Netherlands probably is your best bet (or Ireland). It might be worth checking out the Scandinavian countries, although Bachelors are mostly in the national language. Masters are frequently in English though.
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